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News Release
May 29, 2014
Reference: Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, 09178!04!9
"ormer Bayan Muna Rep. #e$$y Casi%o, 092090!&8
B'('N M)N' #* +C: ,'+#-N C'+- .-C/'R0N1 2M+) )NC*N+#0#)#0*N'/
Former Rep. Teddy Casino of Bayan Muna and Rep. Neri Colmenares today filed an urgent motion for
immediate resolution of the case they filed in 2008 questioning the constitutionality of the oint Marine !eismic
"nderta#ing $M!"% &ith China and 'ietnam. They e(pressed concern that the M!" &ea#ens the )hilippine
position in the current dispute &ith China in the !outh China !ea.

*The )hilippine go+ernment not only sold out the country to China through the M!" in 200, -ut also
appro+ed the .greement &hich could result in &ea#ening our claim o+er our territories in the !outh China !ea -eing
un/ustly claimed -y China0 said former Rep. Teddy Casino.

*1e are as#ing the !C to rule against such a disad+antageous /oint e(ploration agreement as the M!"2 so
that China &ill not -e a-le to use the .greement2 &hich practically ga+e it control of the e(ploration pro/ect2 against
our case -efore the .r-itral Tri-unal of "NC34!0 said Rep. Colmenares &ho then ser+ed as counsel of the
)etitioners in 2008.

*1e -elie+e it is important for the court to decide on the issue no& that some pu-lic officials are entertaining
forging another /oint e(ploration &ith China. 1hile &e are for the peaceful resolution of the dispute &ith China2 &e
must -e &ary of the proposed /oint e(ploration -et&een the )hilippines and China on the disputed islands -ecause as
sho&n -y our e(perience &ith the M!" &e &ere put at a disad+antage &hen the )hilippine go+ernment allo&ed the
Chinese to gather +alua-le data on the natural gas deposits in Recto Reed Ban# and our other territories20 said the
senior deputy minority leader.

*5n 2008 &e as#ed the !upreme Court to +oid the Tripartite .greement for oint Marine !eismic
"nderta#ing $M!"% in the !outh China !ea among the )hilippine National 4il Co. $)N4C%2 China National 4ffshore
4il Corp.2 and 'ietnam 4il and 6as Corp. 5t &as the )hilippine go+ernment &ho sold out the country to the Chinese in
the first place20 said Casino &ho &as one of the )etitioners in challenging the constitutionality of the M!".

Named respondents are )resident .rroyo2 the !ecretary of the 7epartment of Foreign .ffairs2 the !ecretary
of the 7epartment of 8nergy2 the )N4C 8(ploration Corp. and the )N4C.

)etitioner Teddy Casi9o descri-ed the )etition as a nationalist assertion to defend our territory. *1e
petitioned the !C to stop the respondents from further implementing the agreement to a+oid *gra+e and irrepara-le
in/ury0 to the country:s economy and patrimony2 national so+ereignty2 territorial integrity and national interest. The
Constitution only allo&s the e(ploration2 de+elopment and utili;ation of natural resources -y the !tate in co<
production &ith Filipino citi;ens or corporations &ith at least =0 percent of the capital o&ned -y Filipinos20

*By entering into the agreement2 the state *sold out0 to the other parties the country:s potential petroleum
resource &ithin the agreement area2 the country:s *clear and undisputed0 territories2 archipelagic &aters2 territorial sea2
and e(clusi+e economic ;one. The )hilippines has no control and super+ision o+er the e(ploration of our petroleum
and other mineral oils under the Tripartite .greement20 added Rep. Colmenares.

*1e hope that our motion &ould -e gi+en urgent consideration -y the !upreme Court considering the current
situation no& in the !outh China !ea. 1e &ould oppose the proposed /oint e(ploration &ith China on the disputed
islands if it &ill lead to the same disad+antage -rought a-out -y the oint Marine !eismic "nderta#ing $M!"% during
the .rroyo administration in 200,.

*Through the M!"2 China learned of the enormous reser+es of natural gas in Recto Reed Ban#2 for e(ample
/ust one field amounts to a-out 2.,<>.? trillion cu-ic feet of this +alua-le resource. China is no& hell -ent on acquiring
these rich natural gas deposits -y hoo# or -y croo# as e+idenced -y its rene&ed aggressi+e stance in the area20 said
Rep. Colmenares.

*The gun -oat diplomacy -eing used no& -y China is meant to secure for themsel+es areas clearly under
)hilippine territory. 5t is also meant to sol+e the energy crisis that the emerging superpo&er is trying to sta+e off. But
imagine &hat these deposits can do to help us on our o&n po&er crisis20 added progressi+e solon.

*.ny /oint e(ploration &ith China must protect the interest of the Filipino people and should contri-ute to
our economic de+elopment. 5t must also recogni;e our territorial integrity o+er the disputed area. There must -e no
repeat of the highly unequal M!"2 &hich is no different from the highly unequal 87C.2 in the name of defending
our territories from foreign incursions20 ended Rep. Colmenares. @@@
For more information, please contact Bayan Muna me$ia officer Carl 'la a3 0917!1104!9